


Returning

by killerweasel



Category: Sherlock - Fandom
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-11-18
Updated: 2012-11-18
Packaged: 2017-11-19 00:32:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 531
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/567037
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/killerweasel/pseuds/killerweasel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Noises in the night reveal surprising things.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Returning

Title: Returning  
Fandom: _Sherlock_  
Characters: John Watson, Sherlock Holmes  
Word Count: 500  
Rating: G  
A/N: AU after _The Reichenbach Fall_  
Warnings: none  
Summary: Noises in the night reveal surprising things.

John shuffled out of the loo with a yawn. He was halfway down the hall when he thought he heard the television. He was fairly certain he’d shut it off after finishing the not so great zombie movie Greg had loaned him. Muttering to himself, he made his way through the flat. Maybe he’d hit the button one too many times and accidentally turned it back on again. He was almost to the television when he froze. There was a sleeping figure on the couch. Even in the semi-darkness, John recognized the shape. Suddenly, the television no longer seemed important.

John hadn’t even realized he’d forgotten to breathe until his lungs started to burn from lack of oxygen. He took a deep breath before quietly moving to the couch. Sherlock was curled up on the cushions, clutching the skull to his chest like some sort of morbid stuffed toy. His head was resting on the jumper John had taken off before going to bed.

He looked even thinner than John remembered. There was a long scar running along the side of his face from his temple almost to his chin. Judging by the marks left from the stitches, Sherlock had closed it himself. John shuddered as he tried not to think of all the things which could have caused such a wound.

John stretched his hand out, wanting to touch Sherlock, to make sure this wasn’t another dream. He hesitated just above Sherlock’s close-cropped hair. If Sherlock was actually sleeping, he’d reached the beyond exhausted stage. John didn’t want to wake him, not yet.

There was no way on earth John was going to head back to bed. With a soft sigh, he sat on the floor with his back resting against the couch. John’s eyes drifted closed, but he didn’t sleep. He didn’t dare. He stayed where he was, listening to Sherlock breathe.

A noise caused his eyes to pop open again. He glanced over his shoulder. Sherlock was curled up even smaller. When he whimpered again, John reached out and very gently began to stroke Sherlock’s back. Even though the sound stopped, John didn’t remove his hand. He continued what he’d been doing, keeping his touches feather light.

He tried to ignore the fact that he could feel almost every bone in Sherlock’s spine. Whatever Sherlock had been doing, he must have been just as focused on that as he was on a case, forgetting to take care of himself. John hadn’t been there to remind him that the transport for his brain still occasionally needed fuel. John wanted to be angry about it, and maybe he would be later, but right now, he focused on the fact that Sherlock was alive. Nothing else mattered.

He must have fallen asleep at some point because the next thing John knew, someone was shaking his shoulder. He turned to see Sherlock giving him a small smile. “Hello, John.”

John matched Sherlock’s smile with one of his own. “Welcome home, Sherlock.”


End file.
